fruitful recovery and a vegetable mystery

Well, the boy is on the mend! He ate some grapes and strawberries yesterday, and had a couple of bites of a hot dog. Yeah, don't judge me by that hot dog, I am fully aware that it is the last thing he should have eaten. But, when your kid hasn't eaten in 6 days you give him anything he wants to eat.
The lab called and the doc says it's not mono. Halleluiah!! There is an infection and they don't know what it is, but they've put him on antibiotics and though I haven't checked his fever this morning it was down yesterday. He stayed awake more yesterday and definitely had more energy. He was happy that it seemed to be subsiding as he is tired of all this:) He's ready to be a 12 year old boy on summer vacation.
I'm ready to be a mom who sleeps in her own bed(next to her dear husband) instead of on the couch next to a snoring child who walks in his sleep.
Again, my heart goes out to Damien who has been ill or weakened so often in the past few years for long periods, and to Kate who was so devoted to caring for him in those times. Thank you Lord for an end to Jedd's short tunnel and also that the Howards are truly seeing the light at the end of their extensive tunnel.
In the spirit of good health I report that my gardens are also flourishing. I actually was able to go out yesterday and pick some baby spinach leaves for our chicken salad last night. What a wholesome feeling! We really lose a connection when we never experience growing anything to feed and nourish ourselves. If you don't have anything growing this year, I really encourage you to plant anything, tomatoes, spinach, whatever, in a pot if you must. Just one thing to connect yourselves to the dirt:)
I am amazed by the speed at which some things have grown. I did most things from seed this year. Pumpkins are just growing like Jack's beanstalk. Wildly. Onions, spindly and hardly there yet. Cucumbers and strawberries are showing their little fruitful beginnings. Peas are sending tendrils climbing up the fence, which is truly amazing to observe. God has created these plants to send out feelers to pulls themselves up. Cucumbers too. But not the tomatoes. Why? The tomatoes will just flop over and fall on the ground in their weight if not caged. Well, to be fair so would the others, but give the others some string tied across or a cage and they pull themselves up with those tiny threadlike tendrils. And here's a question for those of you who are real gardeners. Where do the seeds come from for things like carrots and spinach? They haven't flowered. There is nothing inside them as there is watermelons and tomatoes. It is a bit of a mystery to me.

barf bags and birthdays (cheerful, no?)

I awoke this morning to day 5 of Jedd being ill with a fever hovering around 102. We've spent the past three nights sleeping on the big red wrap-around couch in the living room. He tends to get a bit delirious at night when he's fevered and sleepwalk, talk and generally freak me out by his behavior. His eyes are open, he looks awake, but he's not. So I stay on the same room with him because I really think one of these times he's going to go outside. That's not a thought I relish at 3 a.m. This is a kid who won't go to a different floor of the house alone at night. Can you imagine if he woke up outside alone at night? Hmmm...
We went and had bloodwork drawn yesterday and throat swabbed and a very funny ( from my side of the door anyway) experience of the lad trying to pee into a sterile cup and then dropping the lid into the toilet. The doc said she'd call today with the results. The nurse had her money on thrush. I really thought that was for babies only.... The doctor had her sights set on mono. That would be sad since he's supposed to start his sailing class next week. Oh well. God knows best. Last year he lost his week old eye glasses, in sailing class. Maybe this will prevent him from doing it again.
On a happier note, It's our dear friend Henley's birthday today. 17! And while Jedd and I will stay far away from the planned festivities, she will be in our thoughts and prayers all day long. I will ban Jedd from the kitchen while I make her birthday cake. She wants a giant cupcake for her cake. I mean giant. Like a regular cake size only, a cupcake. There is a mold out there but we couldn't find it so now it's a challenge. And I am game for that! I have all kinds of little toys culled from the shop for party favor bags. I am a party favor fan and I learned from the queen who was Henley's mom. I really miss my friend Crystal today and I know it's a bittersweet day for Henley and her sister, Cavin.
Lord God, today I lift these three up to you, Jedd, Henley and Cavin. I ask for strength in Jedd's body and a spirit of peace for him throughout this illness. I thank you that you have given us a doctor who shares her wisdom with us and really cares about her patients.
And Father, I lift up Henley and Cavin. I ask that you would continue to lighten their hearts and give them peace. In this coming year give them strength to get through the difficult days and find joy in your world. Let them feel your presence and your truth.
Amen.
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I really miss writing on this little blog, but I have nothing to say. Nothing. I am reading truly depressing words about the state of the world and how Russia is teaming with Iran and together they could bring about the end of the world. See? Depressing. I'd like to go back to the days of my childhood reading when Trixie Belden and Honey Wheeler would solve a crisis within their own sphere, of the missing bridle from the stable or some such triviality, which would set their world off its axis. But all would always be set straight by the end of the story.
Well, I know the end of my little family's story will end straight, by the grace of God, but I am saddened by the thought that there are those I know whose own stories might not end so well if Iran should send over nuclear warheads in the coming days, months or years. See? Depressing....